Stop. Look. Life is all around.

How fast time goes by. It's almost frightening how quickly January has passed. So much has happened in these past few weeks, it will be good to take a few moments to reflect. I encourage you to do the same. Pause, take a look back at what has unfolded this new year, and assess what it means for you now and how it will affect the rest of your year- or life.

I got a permanent job, which has been a tremendous blessing. It feels so great to have a stable job, to have one office I can invest in. I guess I didn't realize how temping at various offices was really wearing on me. I have recently made some new friends. They are all amazing people, I am beyond grateful for each new friend. One thing I seek in life is to surround myself with people that challenge me. I have some amazing people in my life, who all challenge me in various ways- intellectually, spiritually, and physically.

February will be a busy yet exciting month. I will turn 26 on the 6th. I will run my third half marathon. My sister and mother will both have birthdays. I will most likely celebrate Valentine's day by doing something quite unconventional and not so romantic. And last but certainly not least I head to Peru on the 27th. i will be hiking the Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu. This is something I have been wanting to do for a while, so I am going. Why not? I hope to pick up some Spanish before I depart, thanks to my new friend from Columbia who is studying at Tulane this semester.

My life is never dull, I won't let it become dull. I seek adventure. I seek out people that will make it more interesting. This adventure called life will never be dull or meaningless for me. Sometimes I crack up laughing that I'm in New Orleans. I have no clue what I'm doing here. But, I am here and my life is pretty interesting. I am here and I know God is using me some how. I am here and I desire for God to use me. I have no clue what to do or how He wants to use me.

So, what do I do? I just LIVE.

I live with my eyes on things that last. Things that are not passing away, but on things eternal. I live humbly, hoping to shed light on the darkness. To bring a glimpse of hope to the broken. I desire to live life to the fullest, seizing each day. Taking time to look at my surroundings, at the people all around me, to stop and breathe in the air around me (forgetting about the pollution my nostrils are soaking in...ughh) To remember that people are worth getting to know. To continue to think outside the box of normal. To see past color, status, looks, religion, humor, intellect. To realize at the end of the day, we are all just people. People trying to figure out this thing called LIFE. I believe we were all created with a desire to know God. It's a common denominator in all human beings, a sense of a higher being must exist. I believe God pursues us, and He allows us to make a choice- to accept His pursuit of us or walk away. I hope to be a living testimony of one who, by God's grace, accepted His pursuit of me and has been changed from the inside out.

God is love.